Conducting an Opening Meeting

An opening meeting is a short, typically informal meeting to discuss basic details of the audit. An opening meeting sets the scene for the audit and, if done well, can create a terrific first impression. So how do you conduct a successful opening meeting?

The opening meeting is led by the lead auditor primarily to confirm the audit plan. Exactly what the opening meeting entails depends on the individual organization. For an internal audit in a small organization, explaining the nature of the audit may be sufficient. This can be achieved in as little as five minutes. In situations such as third-party audits, the opening meeting may need to be more formal.

Auditors commonly use a checklist to help them conduct opening meeting. The checklist may cover agenda items such as:

Welcome: Commence with a warm welcome to establish a tone of cooperative improvement.

Introductions: Make sure everyone knows each other. This may not be necessary, depending on the organization.